Veronica Lopez Valenzuela’s Post

🌱 Why Are Sustainable Fibers Still Hard to Find? 🌱 We often hear brands touting their "sustainable" products and see reports emphasizing sustainability, yet meaningful progress in sustainable fiber production remains elusive. Are we truly seeing a shift, or is the growth of organic and regenerative fibers still too slow? In my latest article on Substack, I dive deep into this issue, exploring: The slow growth of organic cotton in comparison to overall cotton production The disconnect between sustainability promises and actual practices My personal journey and the creation of FiberWay, a platform aimed at bridging these gaps Through this series, I’ll examine the major challenges facing the textile industry, including transparency, farmer support, economic pressures, and more. Each piece will provide insights into the state of the industry and explore potential solutions. At FiberWay, we're committed to creating a transparent, efficient, and supportive ecosystem for all stakeholders in the textile supply chain. Join me in uncovering these challenges and discovering how we can drive real change together. #SustainableFashion #FiberWay #TextileIndustry #OrganicCotton #SustainableFibers #SupplyChain #Transparency #FashionRevolution #Sustainability

🌱 𝐒𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐅𝐢𝐛𝐫𝐞𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐓𝐞𝐜𝐡𝐧𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐓𝐞𝐱𝐭𝐢𝐥𝐞𝐬: 𝐀 𝐂𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐞𝐫 𝐋𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐚𝐭 𝐙𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐳'𝐬 𝐀𝐩𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐚𝐜𝐡🌱 At ZWARTZ, we are committed to using eco-friendly, renewable fibres in our technical textile production. These materials not only offer excellent performance but also contribute to a more sustainable and environmentally conscious production process. Here’s a look at some of the key fibres we use: 1️⃣ Jute: Often called the “golden fibre,” jute is a highly renewable resource. It’s fully biodegradable and breathable, making it suitable for uses that require both durability and eco-friendliness. 2️⃣ Linen: Derived from the flax plant, linen is one of the oldest fibres in the world. Its moisture-wicking properties, strength, and biodegradability make it a valuable material in sustainable textile production. 3️⃣ TENCEL™: Made from sustainably sourced wood pulp, TENCEL™ is produced in a closed-loop process, significantly reducing environmental impact. It’s soft, breathable, and fully biodegradable. 4️⃣ Hemp: Known for its durability and strength, hemp is a fast-growing plant that requires minimal water and no pesticides. It’s biodegradable, making it an environmentally responsible choice for a range of applications. Each of these fibres offers unique benefits, both in terms of their performance characteristics and their environmental footprint. By utilizing these natural, sustainable materials, we aim to reduce the ecological impact of textile production and contribute to a more sustainable future. If you need expert advice on the best raw materials and textiles for your application, our team is ready to help. #Sustainability #EcoFriendly #Textiles #RenewableResources #Hemp #Jute #Linen #TENCEL™ #SustainableTextiles #Biodegradable #Zwartz

🌿 Pineapple Fiber: The Future of Sustainable Textiles 🌿 Do you know why pineapple fiber is more expensive than other types of fibers? 🌱✨ 🔍 The production process of pineapple fiber is labor-intensive, involving the manual extraction of fibers from pineapple leaves. This makes the cost of producing pineapple fiber higher. 🌿 The price of natural fibers is always higher compared to cotton or polyester. However, when you compare pineapple fiber with organic cotton, you will see the difference. Pineapple fiber is not just raw material for the textile industry; it also brings environmental protection benefits and health benefits for consumers. 🌎 When you choose pineapple fiber, you are not only investing in sustainable materials but also in a media story to refresh your brand in the eyes of customers. 🌟 🧵 Initially, you can mix pineapple fiber with a small percentage, like some of our customers do, to gauge customer interest. Then, you can gradually increase the percentage of pineapple fiber in your products as your customers grow to love it. ❤️ Most importantly, it’s time for your customers to need the health benefits and the collaborative effort to protect the environment from all manufacturers like you. 🌱 #ecosoi #pineapplefiber #pineappleyarn #pineapplefabric #pineappletextile #vietnamecofiber #ecoyarn #pineapplefibertextile #vietnampineapplefiber #GreenTextiles  #EcoFriendly

Breaking barriers in textile recycling, researchers have achieved a groundbreaking feat in the realm of sustainability! Traditionally, viscose textiles have been sourced from forest biomass, lacking a fully sustainable recycling solution. But guess what? That's about to change! With ingenuity and determination, researchers have cracked the code to produce **recycled viscose** from **worn-out cotton sheets**! This innovation marks a significant step towards a circular economy in the fashion industry. By transforming discarded textiles into high-quality viscose, we're not only reducing waste but also lessening the strain on our precious forest resources. Our planet thanks you, innovative minds! Let's celebrate this milestone and continue striving for a more sustainable future together! #SustainableFashion #TextileRecycling #Innovation #CircularEconomy

Leather from fungi, cellulose from bacteria: are these innovations in bio-based fabrics the future of textiles? ➡️ https://lnkd.in/dX2pyUP5 At the Material Lab at OutDoor 2024, curated by sustainability visionary Leonhard Nima, founder of Studio Nima, attendees immersed themselves in cutting-edge material innovations. He showcased over 20 recyclable materials, such as rubber alternatives made from walnut shells or olive pits by KUORI, hemp-based leather by revoltech, and yarn produced from mud by SPINNOVA®. Each material’s lifecycle, from raw component development to final product, was vividly illustrated, transforming the Material Lab into an engaging infotainment experience. The market for sustainable textiles is projected to grow by approximately 9.5% annually until 2027, driven by increasing consumer demand for environmentally friendly and ethically responsible products. This growth is propelling manufacturers to explore a wide range of recycled, biodegradable, and renewable raw materials, aiming to replace conventional polyester and nylon. We're truly excited and look forward to experiencing the sustainable future of textiles. Efrat Friedland Lucas Fuhrmann #ISPO #ISPOMunich #MaterialLab #SustainableFashion #TextileInnovation #GreenTextiles

🌿 Can these material innovations transform sustainable fashion? 🌿 🍍 Piñatex – A leather alternative derived from pineapple leaves, provides an innovative approach to repurposing agricultural waste and supporting local farming communities. 🌱 Mirum – Marketed as a plastic-free leather alternative, its natural composition suggests a low carbon footprint. 🌸 FLWRDWN by Pangaia – FLWRDWN, developed by Pangaia, integrates wildflowers with biopolymers to create a biodegradable down alternative. 🍄 Tomtex – Tomtex represents a promising development in the realm of plant-based materials, utilising timber and mushroom waste to produce a 100% biodegradable leather substitute. These innovations mark significant strides in the development of sustainable materials, yet each faces challenges that require further research and development 🌿✨ Scroll to understand more about how each innovative material could aid in the reduction of environmental impact. ➡ Follow IMPACT+ to hear more about the work we're doing to improve environmental impact assessment methods! 🌏 #sustainablefabricinnovation #materialinnovation #sustainablefashion

The use of natural materials for the #textile and #leather industry is mushrooming! Have you heard of Mirium, Mylo, Pinatex, Reishi, or Kintra? ✳️ A variety of #innovative materials are being developed from natural rubber, fungus roots, cacti, orange peels, pineapple waste, and other cellulosic wastes to create alternatives to oil-based polyester and animal leather. Global fashion brands are beginning to adopt these biomaterials primarily for higher-priced premium accessories. ✳️ It will be intesresting to see which of these diverse material alternatives are truly “sustainable” (e.g. they do not contain plastic binders and additives) and how they eventually scale up for broader commercial application - and in which market segments. Establishing new supply chains and cutting production costs would be key besides consumer uptake. #renewablematerials #circulareconomy #sustainablefashion #climateaction

In the quest to understand how micro-plastics are shed from petroleum based fabric, I discovered many environmental impacts of fabric production in general. While Davidson Environmental doesn't handle textiles, our focus is on collecting organic biodegradable matter which makes all biodegradables intriguing to us. Here's a breakdown of textile's environmental impact, ranked from most to least friendly. Linen/Hemp: • Made from the flax plant, needs minimal energy and water, low carbon footprint. • Minimizes waste, fully biodegradable. Silk: • Contributes to deforestation through Mulberry tree cultivation. • Water-intensive processes. • Chemical disposal pollutes water, affecting aquatic life and agriculture. Cotton: • Highest water usage amongst agricultural commodities. • Heavy pesticide use impacts workers and nearby populations. • Soil quality degradation. Wool: • Sheep provide fertilizer, improving soil health. • Significant carbon emission impact. • Highly recyclable and biodegradable. Viscose, Rayon, Lyocell, TENCEL™, and Modal: • Made from wood, bamboo, or seaweed pulp/cellulose. • Chemical processing poses health and environmental risks. • Biodegradable but dry clean only. Spandex: • Made from petroleum, shed microplastics, contributes to water pollution. • Environmental risks during manufacturing and disposal. Polyester: • Derived from fossil fuels, non-biodegradable. • Shed Microplastics • Significant energy and water usage during manufacturing. Nylon: • Petrochemical-based & microplastic pollutant. • Energy-intensive production, not biodegradable. These rankings consider resource usage, pollution, biodegradability, durability, recyclability, and end-of-life disposal. By choosing fabrics wisely and selecting quality clothing instead of fast fashion, we can make a big difference in the preservation and restoration of our environment. Please share your reaction with us, we would love to hear from you. #Microplastics #biodegradeble #Textiles ##environment #pollutioncontrol #energy #petroleum #carbonfootprint ##co2emissions

Did you know that every time you wear, wash, and dry your clothes, tiny plastic fibers are released into our environment, contributing to microplastic pollution? Scientists from the U.S. Department of Energy Bioenergy Technologies Office’s BOTTLE Consortium have developed an emerging solution that could address the challenge of preventing clothes from shedding at the source: replace today’s petroleum-derived polyester with a nontoxic, biodegradable alternative made from PHAs, short for “polyhydroxyalkanoates.” Learn how the BOTTLE Consortium is teaming up with The North Face to bring these sustainable materials into the outdoor apparel industry! https://lnkd.in/enqb3Mcp #bioenergy

The Textile Exchange Annual Conference concluded on October 31, offering a wealth of insights. Here are some key takeaways from the event, closely followed by Martina Schiuma on-site in Pasadena, California. 𝗖𝗹𝗶𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗲+ 𝗚𝗼𝗮𝗹𝘀: 𝗪𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗪𝗲 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱, 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁’𝘀 𝗡𝗲𝘅𝘁 Textile Exchange highlighted the urgency and incredible potential for industry-wide progress through collaboration. With critical steps outlined, the path is clear for achieving the ambitious targets for 2025 and 2030. 🔹 Partnerships and Tangible Actions | Textile Exchange is set to deepen partnerships across the supply chain and scale impactful initiatives like the Sustainable Cotton Challenge, alongside ambitious targets for deforestation-free leather production. 🔹 Traceability Roadmap | By focusing on data credibility, tech interoperability, and adaptability, this strategy will enable transparent, responsible supply chains aligned with evolving global standards. 🔹 Round Tables for Responsible Materials | Newly launched working groups in cotton, synthetic fibers, and animal-derived materials will advance regenerative practices, expand textile recycling to ease reliance on virgin fibers, and strengthen deforestation-free commitments. 𝗞𝗲𝘆 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝗺𝗲𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗔 𝗠𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗹𝗶𝗲𝗻𝘁, 𝗖𝗶𝗿𝗰𝘂𝗹𝗮𝗿 𝗙𝘂𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 🔸 Financial Innovation for Sustainable Growth | Collaborative financial mechanisms that share risk and foster multi-year partnerships are essential to support farmers and material producers in transitioning to sustainable practices. 🔸 Maximizing Value from Resources | Reimagining resource use through circular models and targeted textile recycling strengthens the value chain. Collective efforts across sorting, transportation, and processing can reduce waste and improve efficiency. 🔸 Ecosystem Investment | Recognizing and investing in resilient natural ecosystems not only promotes biodiversity but also creates financial models that channel resources into positive environmental initiatives, supporting soil health and biodiversity in agricultural regions. 🔸 Active Policy Engagement | Navigating evolving regulations requires active engagement. Building alignment with public policy can simplify compliance, inspire innovation, and secure support for sustainable initiatives. 🔸 Investing in Long-Term Profitability | Though sustainable transitions come with upfront costs, companies embracing resilient practices can see enhanced profitability over time, reducing operational risks and bolstering supply chain stability. YHub The ID Factory Ympact #TextileExchangeConference2024 #thecaseforchange #sustainablematerials #sustainablefashion #traceability #circularity #materials4sustainability